Day of the Dead
by TotalGamer98
Summary: Kid's being haunted by a cruel reality of being a Grim Reaper. Quite by accident he stumbles upon an escape from his nightmares, and finds himself drawn to her. (Kid's POV, and a birthday present for my friend. One-shot.)


**So this is a birthday present for my friend ~Adlez~, shipping her OC with Kid. (Well, more like the OC I made for her. Yes I realize it's a week late, ~Adlez~. Don't give me that look.)**

**Anywayz, I'm going to try to make this relatively similar to a few points from Twilight, seeing as that's her favorite book series. (I don't care for it, but she likes it. I tried it, I really did…)**

**Without further rambling, *I disclaim; I own not Soul Eater, Twilight, or Sherlock*, and present to you:**

_**Day of the Dead**_

**By TotalGamer98**

* * *

"_Every day I see them dancing;_

_Those cruel dates in my head._

_And every hour I hear them chanting;_

'_On this date I'll be dead'."_

* * *

There are advantages to being the son of the Grim Reaper.

I have a large supply of stamina.

I can be practically shot in the chest and survive.

I can easily learn a new language, as my head can hold much more knowledge at a time than the average human.

However, there are disadvantages as well. Because simply with the traits I had previously listed, I would merely be some sort of superhuman or perhaps just Sherlock Holmes. Seriously, that man can run for hours chasing a car through back alleys and jumping buildings, he fell off a roof and survived, and have you seen the numbers he keeps in his head?

Sorry about that. Liz managed to get me into British television, namely Sherlock. Moving on.

As I was explaining, I wouldn't be a Grim Reaper if I only had those traits. No, I have to have an ability much more sinister, one that defines me as a Shinigami.

I can see the date of a person's death.

Well, it isn't something I can see, exactly. More like something I can sense.

I noticed my ability young, during my preschool years. I had felt the numbers in my head when I looked at the children around me, but the dates were fuzzy and blurred, and it frustrated me that I couldn't understand them. The teachers would try and calm me down, but to my toddling self, the idea that I couldn't understand something was a nightmare to me, and I threw fits over my frustration. After a few weeks of this, the teachers called my father.

"I think you need to pick your son up," I remember a worried teacher saying. "He's been acting strange, and he's disturbing the other children."

Dad came immediately through the nearest mirror, but since I couldn't travel that way yet, he walked me home.

"So, Kiddo," He spoke in that strange voice of his as we walked. "What's the problem in preschool?"

I looked up at Dad's masked face, then turned back to the ground and kicked a stray rock that had fallen asymmetrically upon the cobblestone. "I think I see numbers, Daddy," I told him.

The elder Reaper stopped suddenly, entirely silent. "Numbers…?" He said after a while, gazing down at me. "What kind of numbers?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. I think they're numbers, but they're all blurry, and when I asked the teachers about them they tried to get me to wear glasses." I muttered.

My father turned away. "I see," Was all he said. He then turned back down to me as his voice adopted a more serious tone. "Kid, you know you're not like the other boys and girls, right?"

I nodded, reluctantly quoting a phrase Dad had instructed me to repeat multiple times. "I'm not a boy, I'm a Grim Reaper, and I'm proud to be one," I sighed disspasionately.

"Good, good," Dad praised my recitation. "But since you're a Reaper, you will see things that typical humans can't. That ability of yours is just starting to surface," He paused. "Kid, you are getting to the point where you can see the day a person will die."

My round eyes widened. I stared up at my dad, shaking slightly. Most five-year-olds didn't grasp the principle of death, but being the son of the Grim Reaper himself, I had been aware of that cruel reality for as long as I could remember. Despite this, I was still a child, and the horrible thought of death was a heavy weight to bear at that age. It would cause me to cry at in bed and suffer nightmares until Dad came to hold me. Even the mention of death sent shivers through my body and weakened my entire being.

"So… I know when people are gonna… Die?" I whimpered. Dad stretched his hand around me and pulled me to him comfortingly, and I buried my face in his cloak, as if trying to hide from some imaginary childhood monster.

"Yes, Kid," Dad told me. "That's why people think Reapers control death. Long ago, people noticed that I could tell them the day they died, and they began to think I caused their deaths. But that's not our job," He continued, scooping me up in his hands and holding me to his face. "As Grim Reapers, it is our job to be the end of evil humans. Other than that, we don't cause death, but simply govern it. Do you understand?"

I sniffed a little as I nodded in reply, rubbing my teary eyes with my sleeve. Children are dramatic, and even though I wasn't human, I was no exception. When I became scared, I cried.

Dad sighed, bringing me closer to him. I wrapped my arms as far as they could go around his head, rubbing my face against his hood.

"Just remember, Kid," He added. "People don't really want to know when they're going to die. So when you see the numbers clearly, can we keep them our little secret?"

I nodded again. "Yes, Daddy."

My complete awakening occurred when I was walking through the streets with my father that summer. Everyone bowed as he approached, and then they smiled endearingly at my pudgy five-year-old face. I clung tightly to Dad, grasping his large white thumb that I could barely wrap my tiny hand around. I gazed at the people around me, feeling slightly intimidated by the large crowds. It was then that I noticed it. I tugged on Dad's sleeve, causing him to lean down to me.

"What's up, Kiddo?" He asked. I gazed into his dark eyes, feeling them take on more seriousness upon seeing the weighty look in my own eyes.

"Daddy," My voice held a gravity that wasn't present in the speech of most children my age. "The dates are clear now."

* * *

"And so if you ratio the age of the kishin by its brute strength, you can therefore determine the power its soul will hold once consumed by the weapon," Stein concluded, writing the figure on the blackboard. "Any questions? Yes, Maka?" He questioned without turning around to see the blonde's raised hand. The young Albarn always had questions regarding the lesson, but her most common request for information was the dreaded statement;

"Can we write a report on this?"

The rest of the class shared collective groans. Stein chuckled slightly, turning around in his lab chair. "Why not? Everyone, write a thousand-word essay on the ratio of a kishin egg's strength." He smirked, earing louder groans from most of the students and cheers from Maka and Ox.

I was passive, taking notes and taking occasional glances at the board. At this point in my life I had learned to mostly ignore the dates that people wore like bright and noticeable t-shirts, and it was getting past that that enabled me to open up enough to make friends. However, the fact that I knew a lot of my friends would die young would haunt me on occasion when I took the time to think about it. The worst thing about seeing the future is that I can do nothing to prevent it.

"Hey, Kid!" Black*Star pulled his arm around my neck as I walked out of class. "How ya doin'?"

"I was doing much better when I could breathe," I rasped, my oxygen cut off by the ninja's grip.

"Oops! Sorry," He released his arm, allowing me to breathe once more.

"You okay, Kid?" Liz put her hand on my shoulder. "Did Black*Star break your hand trying to shake it again?"

"Nope. Choked 'im this time," Patty said, having stood by and watched me gasp for air without saying a word. What a loyal partner.

"But you're all right now, Kid, right?" Black*Star grinned, hitting me upside the head.

Liz proceeded to do the same to the blue-haired boy. "Stop giving Kid reasons to go to the nurse's office!" She scolded him.

True enough, my head was beginning to throb from that last punch. I clutched my hair and squeezed my eyes shut, knowing that when I got headaches, my sixth sense was much harder to push down.

"Kid, look at me. Are you okay?" I could hear Liz's voice. I didn't want to open my eyes. I didn't want to see the dates. But I didn't want to worry my partner, either, so I reluctantly obliged.

There they were. Right in front of me, everywhere. I could see when Liz would lie still, when Patty would perish, when Black*Star would bleed, when Soul would slip away…

"Kid! Kid, are you all right?" Patty was shaking me, her face right up in mine, which was terrible. When people got this close, I began to see glimpses of not just when, but _how_ they would die.

_Patty would bleed out, lying ruined and broken upon cold ground, while Liz sobbed…_

I jerked out of that nightmare and bolted. I could hear them calling after me, but I didn't stop. The dates flashed past me as I passed the people they belonged to. I needed to be alone, to just allow this headache to die down until I could think clearly.

I pushed into the men's restroom. Thankfully, no one was in there. I leaned over the counter as I set my palms down on it and stared at my reflection. I could see no date in that figure; no ominous foreshadowing of the day I shall die. The sight only works on humans and weapons, with witches and the like being immune to my sixth sense. But I know the dates my friends shall die, and that fact sliced into my chest and left a gaping hole that companions couldn't ever fill, simply because I knew that they wouldn't be there forever. Everyone knows that harsh rule of life, but I am one of the few that grasps it fully.

I turned as the door swung open. A girl stood there; tall, with tanned skin and dirty blonde hair. Her eyes were a calm hazel, but they held energy that couldn't be contained. She stared at me with those large eyes, as if shocked to see me, and I stared back.

"Um…" She slowly spoke, chuckling awkwardly. "You do realize that this is the women's bathroom, right?"

My eyes grew even wider as I jerked upright. Had I run into the wrong restroom in my haste to escape humankind? Evidently…

"Sorry," I quickly spoke. "Terribly sorry," I bowed once before rushing out, past her and back into the crowded hallway. I tried to find my friends again to assure them I was okay, but until my headache died down I was still trying to cope with seeing the dates. But I could ignore them at the moment, focusing on the most pressing matter on my mind.

The girl in the bathroom didn't have a death date.

* * *

I did my research on the school's students that night. Apparently the girl I had encountered was a relatively new student that went by the name of Hope. I wondered if she was possibly a witch, and if that was the reason I couldn't see her date. However, later I managed to search her soul without her noticing and discovered that it was entirely human. According to my research, she was a talented bow meister, and had evidently enrolled in the Academy about three months ago. I hadn't noticed her much before that day, but now I couldn't take my eyes off her. I was intrigued; I had to figure out why I couldn't see her death date.

Now that I noticed, she was a very bubbly person, always cheerful, but not to the point of being childish, like Patty. She cared about her appearance, painting her nails on the occasion that she found the perfect shade of blue, but didn't obsess over her appearance like Liz did. She had a perfect balance.

I realize I'm starting to sound like I was her stalker.

"Got a crush on the new girl, eh, Kid?" Liz elbowed me playfully. I could feel heat rising up into my face as I shoved my partner away.

"Of course not!" I snapped. "I just…" I cut off. Despite our closeness, I had never told Liz or Patty about my "death date" ability. I thought it would seem to strange and they'd start asking questions about their dates that I didn't want to answer.

Liz laughed. "Denial's the first sign," She poked my cheek.

"Of what?" I growled, but then muttered quietly, "Poke the other one, too. Your pestering is asymmetrical."

Patty giggled, poking my other cheek as Liz continued to grin and poke. "The first sign that my meister has a crush on Hope."

I could feel my face grow hot and proceeded to bury my nose in my textbook. However, the actions didn't cut off the sisters' taunting.

"Look sis, he's blushing! That's the second sign!"

"Yes it is, Patty! He's obviously head over heels!"

My eyes narrowed. "Shut up," I muttered, thrusting my face into the book. I didn't have a crush, not by any means. I was simply interested in her immunity to my sixth sense, and that was all. I didn't have a crush; Grim Reapers don't get crushes.

"Grim Reapers get crushes just like everybody else! It's nothing to be ashamed of, Kiddo!"

I glared at my father. "Who fed you the _false _information," I hissed, accenting the lack of truth in his theory, "That I have a crush?"

"Patricia and Elizabeth filled me in on everything! They're such nice girls, ya know?" He continued to speak, and I could swear he was grinning at me from behind that expressionless mask of his.

I was seated in the Death room upon a sofa that I had asked to be moved in there for my comfort, as I had requested an audience with my father over the matter of Hope after classes.

"Dad, it is NOT a crush," I rolled my eyes.

"Oh?" Dad tilted his head to the side. "Isn't that why you asked to see me? I was going to tell you about my boyhood crushes…"

I rubbed my temples exasperatingly. "Dad, I _really _don't want to know about your centuries-old love life," I sighed. "I came to ask you about Hope."

"Yes, she's single."

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" I shouted at him, beginning to lose my temper at Dad's apparent obliviousness. "I'm confused about the fact that she doesn't have a date!"

Dad was silent for a moment. "Well if she doesn't already have a date, wouldn't that make it a lot easier to ask her out?"

My fists clenched at my sides as I glared at him. "_No, _Father," I spat, ready to kill him, or Patty and Liz for suggesting to him that I had a crush in the first place. "She doesn't have a _death date_. I can't see one on her."

Dad stared at me for a moment. "Well, that's peculiar," He said after little while. "So you're wondering if I might know why you can't see her date?"

"Yes," I breathed, sliding back and relaxing on the couch once again as I let my irritation subside. "Do you have any idea why I can't see it?"

"Hm…" Dad pulled of one his hands out from under his cloak and held it under his chin contemplatively. "I've met a few people like that, whose dates I couldn't see. But only about two or three. I remember that it left an impression on me, but I can't remember getting down to the root of the issue," He spoke, and then turned to look at me directly. "Try talking to her. Maybe there's something different about her personality that might tell you why you can't see her date."

I nodded. "Thank you, Dad," I murmured, standing and turning to leave.

"Oh, Kid?" He spoke once again, and continued when I turned to face him. "Just remember that having a girlfriend has its ups and downs…"

I stormed out of the room before I let him finish.

* * *

I had resolved that I was going to talk to her the next day. She was sitting right there, and I could see her perfectly from my seat in the classroom.

"Death the Kid."

I whipped around to see Stein staring me down. "You see absentminded today. Please pay attention," He scolded. A few students giggled with amusement as I nodded.

"Yes sir," I said, causing Stein to nod and turn back to the blackboard.

"Good. Now on to today's dissection…"

I looked over at Hope once again, trying to make sure I kept track of her so I could confront her after class.

"And you say you don't have a crush," Liz chuckled darkly, elbowing me. "You've been staring dreamily at her all class."

I glared at my pistol. "Cut that out," I whispered, trying to focus on Stein's lab work. Admittedly, it was especially disgusting today.

As soon as class was over, I rushed out of my seat to find Hope, finally managing to push through the crowds and meet her at her locker.

"Hello," I spoke, getting her attention. "I realize my first meeting was awkward, but I wanted to make up for it and greet you properly."

She looked at me for a moment, and then smiled. "Okay!" She beamed, holding out her hand. "I'm Hope!"

I smiled politely, shaking her hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you," I told her. "I'm Death the Kid, but you may simply refer to me as Kid."

Hope's eyes grew wider, if that was even possible. "The son of Shinigami-sama?" She gaped.

I nodded. "Yes," I said. "It's strange of you to refer to my father as 'Shinigami-sama, though. Not many people use his Japanese title."

Hope smiled at me. "Japanese just sounds better, don't you think?" She giggled before turning back to her locker. "So, was greeting me all you wanted to do?" She joked.

I paused. I hadn't thought this far into my plan. I wanted to figure out why she didn't have a death date, but I couldn't just ask. I had to discover what was different about her somehow.

"_Ask her if she's free Saturday._"

"Are you free Saturday?" I asked suddenly. "_Wait… I didn't think that! Why did I say…_" My eyes scanned the crowd, freezing when they met Liz's blue pupils. She winked at me mischievously. Apparently someone had figured out how to communicate with her meister telepathically outside of her weapon form. Oh joy.

Hope raised an eyebrow at me. "Yeah, I'm free… You seem kinda skittish. Are you okay?"

I turned back to her swiftly. "Yes! Yes I'm fine," I said quickly.

The hazel-eyed girl gave me another strange look. "Okay… What did you have in mind for Saturday, then?"

"_I had in mind to stay home, cleaning._" I wanted to say, but I didn't know how to call of a date now that I had suggested one. I didn't want to seem rude. "Um… How about a movie?" I shifted on my feet awkwardly. "I'll pay for it all, of course. It'll be my treat."

Hope smiled a little again. "All right. Meet you at the theater?" She asked, and I nodded, causing her to smile wider. "Great! I love movies! I'll see you then," She told me, walking off. I just stood there like a deer in headlights. I realized something at that moment that I had continued to deny, but I couldn't hide the fact any longer.

I loved making Hope smile.

* * *

The next few months went by with relative normalcy, except for a few slight changes, definitely not the least of these being that I continued to see Hope every Saturday. I still hadn't managed to find out why she didn't have a death date, but I had nearly forgotten about it.

We would make plans on Monday, talk about what we were going to do all week, promise to see each other Friday as we left school on Friday, and then meet on Saturday. I enjoyed spending time with her, and it was what I looked forward to every week.

"Have you two kissed yet?" Liz asked from the couch right before I stepped out one Saturday. Her question caused me to tense.

"No," I spoke. "Why would you suggest that?"

Liz gave an exaggerated shrug. "I dunno, maybe because you've been dating for a month?"

"It's _not _dating," I snapped at her. "It's just seeing a friend."

"A REALLY good friend," Patty skipped over and ruffled my hair. "A REALLY good friend who makes your face go red whenever we talk about 'er, and you continue to meet ALONE," She grinned playfully.

I stormed out the door, slamming it in my younger partner's face, refusing to think about my relationship with Hope as anything more than a strong friendship. However, she called me one Sunday evening and made me rethink my opinions.

"Kid?" She asked. "Is this you?"

"Yes," I said as I sat at the table, talking on the phone. "Is this about yesterday?"

"Yeah…" Her voice held disappointment. "We kept on talking about going to the new coffee shop yesterday, but I sat there alone for hours."

I wanted to punch myself. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, and I know it's not an excuse, but there was an incident with a cardboard box, a pet snake, some silly string, and I nearly got dissected by Stein-sensei," I sighed, remembering to use the Japanese suffixes for her. "I wanted to call, but I couldn't sit down long enough to. I'm sorry," I said again.

The other end of the line was silent for a moment. But then I heard her cheery voice; "That's fine! I understand if you get caught up. We can go to the coffee shop this weekend instead, right?"

I sighed with relief. "Of course, Hope. See you then," I smiled, but regret was pulling at my soul. I didn't deserve this girl; she was too forgiving and accepting for me. I was the one who would cancel our outings and have mental breakdowns when the butter on my movie popcorn wasn't spread symmetrically. But… She put up with all that and calmed me down, I wanted to be with her.

"All right!" She agreed. "See you Saturday!"

"Good," I said quietly. "I love you."

I then hung up and put up the phone calmly, but then I suddenly froze.

"_Did I just tell her… I loved her?!_" My eyes grew wide.

"Wow. Didn't expect you to say that," Liz poked her head in the door, holding up the other house phone. I whipped around to glare at her, thankful for this distraction.

"Were you eavesdropping?" I snapped.

Liz giggled a little. "Maybe… And maybe I've been eavesdropping on all your phone conversations for the past month," She grinned before bolting. I dashed after her, ready to strangle the brunette. Symmetrically, of course.

Still, I couldn't get the words I had said to Hope off my mind. It was subconscious, so I didn't know what I was saying.

But it was heartfelt.

* * *

I was forced to ponder the death date issue again one weekend in December. The day's outing was a gourmet ice cream parlor downtown; one that we had visited before and knew each other's' favorite flavors well. We sat outside that afternoon, seeing as it was warm then, even for Nevada. I suppose I was eating my ice cream a bit too fast, for after a moment, I winced in the sharp pain that was splitting the back of my skull.

"Aw, Kid," Hope sighed, sitting across from me at the small patio table. "Do you have a brain freeze?"

"Shinigami don't get brain freezes," I insisted, but the pain wouldn't go away. No, Shinigami don't get brain freezes; we get brain blizzards, which are worse.

Hope got up and walked over me, rubbing my back. "You okay?" She asked caringly. I relaxed slightly at her touch.

"Yeah," I sighed, sitting up straight. "Better."

She smiled and went back to her seat as she continued to eat her ice cream. I ate as well, much slower, but I was beginning to wonder something.

"_Why do I relax at her touch? Why does her presence soothe me? Why am I drawn to her?_" I thought. I was answered by something I had said not a month ago;

"_I love you_."

"_But why do I love her?_" I sighed, mulling over reasons. It didn't take long. "_Because she's so caring,_" I thought. "_She puts up with my OCD attacks, even helping me through them calmly and gently. She's always there to smile at me when I'm feeling pressured. She's supportive and funny, she makes me laugh when I'm upset and is always there to offer encouraging words._"

Hope looked over at me abruptly. "Ya know, do you remember how we met?" She giggled slightly.

I paused, the reason for my initial fascination of her apparent to me once again. "I met you in the girl's bathroom," I said. "_And you didn't have a death date._" I kept the latter part to myself.

Hope burst out laughing, but frowned when she saw my distant expression. "You all right, Kid? Do you have a brain freeze again?"

I sighed. "No, Hope," I murmured. "_I had forgotten about finding out her date. But now that I'm reminded… I'm curious again,_" I watched the table, but was surprised to find Hope's hand reaching out to clutch mine reassuringly.

"Is something bothering you?" She asked quietly. "You know you can tell me about anything."

I looked up into those caring hazel eyes of hers. I realized that it hurt to not want to confide in her, and also that I wanted to share this burden with someone other than my Dad. "There's something," I began quietly, turning my golden gaze back to the table's surface, "That I've never even told my weapon partners, but… I need to tell someone."

Hope pulled her chair up next to mine. "All right," She smiled gently. "Do you want to tell me?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes," I spoke. "There's… An ability that Shinigami have that's unique to our species," I paused to sigh once more. "If I look at a person, I can sense the date they're going to die."

I could feel Hope stiffen. I was silent, letting her process what I had just said.

"So…" She said quietly, "You know the day that I'll…"

"No," I said quickly. "And that's what's got me confused," I murmured. "When I look at you, I can't see a date. I have no idea when you'll die," I added in a whisper, "But I hope it's not anytime soon."

She looked at me perplexedly. "And you have no idea why?" She asked, prompting me to shake my head.

"Not a clue," I answered.

"Well, I'll help you figure it out," She smiled gently again, "If it bothers you that much. No matter what it takes," She told me. "I'll help you. Always."

I smiled back at her a little at her strong will to help me, but then realization struck me like a thunderbolt. "Your will."

"What?" She stared at me again. "What did you say?" Her eyes widened slightly when I put my arm around her.

"It's your strong will," I said. "Your determination. You are the type of girl that will defy your own fate when your time comes," I smiled. "And that's why even Death can't hold you down."

She smiled back at me, leaning against me. I allowed all the tension I had within me to melt off, which was rare for me with my OCD.

Not every burden was gone from my shoulders, however. I could still see everyone else's date, and I knew when my friends would no longer be by my side. But Hope wasn't just a friend anymore, and I knew she would help me. And since I wasn't aware of her date, I could continue to believe that I had found someone who would always be my side.

I knew it wasn't true, though. But I'll never lose that Hope.


End file.
